Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) orig. to visit a honkytonk n.¹ (1), but ext. to general going out on the town, thus n. honky-tonker.

1948		H. Williams ‘Honky Tonkin’’ 🎵 And we’ll go honky-tonkin’, honky-tonkin’, / Honky-tonkin’, honey baby, / We'll go honky-tonkin’ ’round this town.
1953		‘John Eagle’ Hoodlums (2021) 104: All the honky-tonkers lost on the hapless pavements of Chicago.
1958		W.B. Miller ‘Gang Delinquency’ in Short Gang Delinquency and Delinquent Subcultures (1968) 143: This practice, designated by various terms in different areas (‘honky-tonkin’’; ‘goin’ out on the town’; ‘bar-hoppin’’), involves a patterned set of activities.
1974		P. Gent North Dallas Forty 206: I took him honky-tonkin’.
1994		Saffire ‘T Ain’t Nobody’s Business’ 🎵 If I go to church on Sunday / And I honkytonk all day Monday / Ain’t nobody’s business if I do.

2. (Irish) to play music (on a piano).

2015

L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 19: ‘I’ll find you a piano and you can honky-tonk your musical regrets away to your heart’s content’.